I Saw the Beast Upon a Cold Mountain, and It Did Not Wear Your Face
by 7stolenknives
Summary: A seemingly innocent gathering of all the royals in Europe to celebrate the captivating Princess Anna's birthday and win her hand in marriage becomes an omen of death. Though ancient magic has tied Elsa and Anna's destiny, fate is not kind to those who wield the power of the gods. Non-related Elsanna endgame.
1. Prologue

"Don't hurt her! Please, I'll do anything!" Anna screamed. She tried to run to Elsa, but a guard grabbed her roughly by the arm. The scream sparked fear within Elsa's heart. Not fear for own life, but fear for Anna's. Elsa struggled in the grip of her own oppressors, desperate to get to her. She freed an arm and sent a wild blast of ice into one of the men grappling with her. The blow was so forceful, it sent him flying several feet into the stone wall that cracked under the intensity of the impact. The broken body slumped to the floor in a twisted heap. Blood leaked from the many places where bone protruded from skin and stained the black marble floors.

"Continue down this path and I promise you, the princess will suffer for it," the scarred man's voice filled the vast room. It wasn't a shout, it wasn't a scream, but it was loud and commanding all the same.

Elsa threw a glance in Anna's direction. The guard that grabbed Anna had a knife to her throat. Elsa stopped cold. She submitted herself to the will of the guards as they drove her to her knees.

"That's more like it," the scarred man said approvingly, "See? It's not that difficult to act civilized. Now where were we? Oh, yes," He walked over to Elsa and kneeled in front of her, looking her over with fascination. Elsa glared at him with a rage that lit up her eyes. A rage that hungered for his blood.

"I always wondered how deep the love between a pure one and their protector truly went. Could it be measured? Could it be tested? Could it be understood? All these years, and this is the moment that I have been waiting for. A test of faith."

He started stripping her of her armor, unfastening the straps of her silver breastplate with deft hands, in a calm and disturbing way. It was unsettling, and Elsa felt the need to shudder under his touch, but she dared not move. Not while Anna's safety was on the line.

The scarred man lifted the heavy breastplate off her. Elsa felt exposed without it, like a wolf without its claws. He threw the plackart to the side and stepped back, brandishing a long, gleaming dagger from his belt. The men holding Elsa dragged her to her feet, their rough hands grasping onto her tight enough to bruise, as if afraid she would turn to smoke and disappear.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Anna asked, concern weighing down her voice.

"A test of faith," the scarred man muttered, although it was more to himself than in response to the princess.

At once, a moment of great revelation dawned on Anna.

He was going to kill Elsa.

She cried out, begging him to spare Elsa's life, but her pleading fell on deaf ears. Not even Elsa heard the unceasing agony being ripped from the back of Anna's throat. All she could hear the blood rushing through her veins and the pounding of her own heart. With every beat, it threatened to explode from her chest, as if it could not wait for the knife to do the job.

Elsa looked up at the man who was about to take her life. If she was going to die, then she would do so with dignity. Their eyes met and Elsa swore she saw a flash of fear.

"Goodbye, Anna," she whispered.

The scarred man ran Elsa through with his blade as Anna's cries rang out through the hall.


	2. A Meeting of Ice and Fire

**This is my first time writing anything for this site! Any and all feedback is welcome but try not to be blatantly rude as I have feelings! This story appeared from a mess of ideas. I hope to write a chapter 2 very soon if my college chemistry course doesn't kill me first! (Updated 12/5/19)**

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Chapter 1: A Meeting of Ice and Fire

"Princess Anna," a shallow voice called from beyond the oak door. Anna did not stir, for her deep slumber had a vice grip upon her mind.

"Princess Anna," Kai called again, this time much louder, "your father would like you present for the arrival of the guests."

Anna sat up in bed, her hair a tangled mess, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, "Guests? For what- oh! I'm coming!" Realization dawned on the princess like a rapture.

Her eyes snapped open and she threw back her covers, racing like a fury around her room in a rushed attempt to prepare for the day. Even as she did, the passionate smile never left her lips.

The guests were arriving today! Anna could not believe this day had come, and she could not contain her excitement. It was overflowing her system, pouring out of her in feverish dances and thrilling shivers of excitement. She was going to meet hundreds of people, interesting and _powerful_ people, from all over Europe and they were all coming for _her_. More specifically, to celebrate her birthday. Kings, queens, princes, and princesses… _princes_…

Anna sighed in contentment as she thought of all the handsome young men who would be vying for her hand in marriage. What if she met someone? What if she met _the one_?

She opened the glass doors leading to her balcony, slipping the shoulder of her dress higher up her arm and smoothing her hair into a braided bun. She rested her hands on the damp stone, watching ships from various countries make port within Arendelle's vast harbor. A pang of elation struck Anna in the heart as she laid eyes on the many figures flooding the streets. Nothing was going to stop her from making this the best week of her life.

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The faint drizzle that fell from sky landed softly on the caravan of people leaving their adorned ship, which consisted of two armored guards and six servants clad in silver attire following two blonde royals, Kristoff and Elsa, as they made their way to the castle gates.

The two royal siblings shared a tall stature, similar blonde hair, a regal posture, and not much else. The elder sibling, Kristoff, was a broad, muscled man with a cheerful face and eyes the color of sweet chocolate. Elsa on the other hand had a smaller frame, but was no less intimidating. She still had a strong and rugged look to her, and her sharp blue eyes missed nothing. Both were the epitome of grandeur with their silver crested clothes and diamond encrusted swords at their hips.

Elsa raised her head to the overcast sky, enjoying the feeling of the soft rain that fell upon her face. _I really wish Kristoff had not convinced me to come along,_ she thought, _but at least the weather is nice._

"Hey Elsa, I know you did not want to accompany me on this endeavor, but I wholeheartedly appreciate it," Kristoff said, wrapping his brawny arm around her shoulders, "You know how anxious I get whenever I need to… curry favor with another royal."

Elsa chuckled to herself, "You mean court a princess? Yes, I know. Maybe this time you will make it stick so I will not have to keep accompanying you to these fancy balls to find a wife suitable for your kingdom."

Kristoff shook his head, "_Our_ kingdom," He corrected, "I know you detest the crown and all the burdens that come with it, but you are still a part of this family. You cannot just run away from your responsibilities and off into the wilds," he paused for a moment, "Oh, and just so we are clear, we're not only here so that I can woo the princess. We also need to negotiate trade with the King and Queen."

The siblings had talked about her leaving the kingdom countless times. Ever since their beloved parents were murdered and her powers surfaced, Elsa wanted nothing to do with the throne. It was hard enough spending all those years learning how to control her curse, let alone figuring out how to help run a country. She wished only to be alone where she was free to let go of the tight restraints she had put upon herself to keep her powers at bay, and perhaps even hunt down the vile savages that ruined any chance she had at a normal life. However, as a member of a prestigious royal family, that dream was impractical and unattainable, so a close second was joining their royal army. The rigorous training and extreme discipline assisted in the self-mastery of her abilities, and allowed her to live among other people without inadvertently killing them.

Elsa shrugged off her brother's arm in irritation, "I know, I know. Why do you think I joined the army?" Elsa sighed and flexed her gloved hands, "If you don't mind though, I would rather not be there for the negotiations. We both know I am not much of a diplomat."

"Oh alright, so I am tasked with courting and negotiating while you get to drink and galavant around? How is that in any way fair?" Kristoff chuckled.

"Don't you pin this on me, you're the one who asked me to come, remember? And there will be plenty of time for you to 'galavant' too, I am sure."

Having said that, Elsa pulled ahead, making her way through the gates of Arendelle.

The large oak gates were stunning, and while the castle itself was not very large in comparison to their own fortress, the siblings could not deny the beauty it held. The azure tiles of the roof were striking against the pale stone that made up the exterior of the castle. The inside of the palace was no different.

As Kristoff and Elsa entered the throne room, they were met with the site of a couple dozen royals from all over Europe conversing with one another. Most were men, as Elsa had predicted. This was after all, a celebration of the coming of age for the princess of Arendelle, which meant it was time for her to start meeting suitors. Princes from every nation came wearing extravagant clothes adorned with jewels and medals of valor.

Elsa detested it._ It was quite lucky that I was not born first_, Elsa thought in disgust, _I could have never put up with this._

"Looks like we are late to the party, Elsa," Kristoff whispered to his sister.

"Yeah, I can see that," Elsa retorted, "It also looks like you have a considerable amount of competition."

"You mean _they_ have a considerable amount of competition. I am, after all, quite a charmer."

Elsa rolled her eyes, "Kristoff-"

"Prince Kristoff and Princess Elsa of Njarovik! Welcome to Arendelle!" The King- Agnarr was his name-approached the pair and greeted them warmly. He was a man of average height but he commanded colossal authority. His fine strawberry-blonde hair was slicked back and he harbored a thin mustache on his slender face.

Upon seeing him, both Kristoff and Elsa bowed swiftly, "Your Majesty," Kristoff spoke, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Your kingdom has been a loyal trading companion of ours ever since that horrible accident with our parents years ago. We would have never become the thriving kingdom that we are now without your support."

The King clasped a hand to Kristoff's shoulder, "Think nothing of it. You and Elsa have both proven yourselves loyal to my kingdom with the troops you provided us during that horrible rebellion, and have provided us with ever since. Anything you need is yours, just ask."

"That is wonderful news to hear. In fact Elsa and I were hoping to-"

Elsa tuned them out. _Kristoff was full of it. Nervous my ass, he always handles these situations like a true born king. It's in his blood._ As she scanned the place, a figure standing near the corner of the throne room caught her eye. A young woman, perhaps no older than Elsa herself, was observing the blonde. Her eyes were bewitching; her caramel cream irises seemed to peer into Elsa's soul, trying to unearth the wickedness that lay within. Her hair was a lovely umber, the color of fallen leaves browned and sleek with the first rain of autumn, that framed her beautiful face perfectly. Who is she? The brunette smiled at Elsa, as if hearing her thoughts, which given that Elsa did have control over ice and snow, was not a far-fetched idea.

"Well, I shall let you and your sister settle in. I am sure it was a long and tiring trip and I would hate for you to miss the celebration tonight due to overexhaustion. Kai will show you to your rooms."

Elsa finally tore her attention away from the strange woman in the corner. She and Kristoff bowed once more to the King and then the pair took their leave.

Elsa stole one last glance in the direction of the beautiful brunette in the corner, only to find the woman still watching her with more than a hint of fascination, before exiting the throne room. Elsa clenched her gloved hands. To be quite honest, Elsa was not sure if she should feel flattered or frightened by the painstakingly obvious interest the woman expressed in her. I will have to find her during the ball tonight and question her.

The minutes passed by comfortably as the pair of siblings and their convoy followed Kai to their quarters through the long broad hallways that made up the castle. With each new corridor they came to, Kai would explain the function of each room and recount the history of the castle, never missing a beat.

At last, when they came upon their rooms, Kai bowed deeply and went on his way, leaving the rest of them to settle in. The servants carried in the luggage to their respective rooms and were dismissed. Shortly after, Elsa dismissed the guards, telling them to go enjoy themselves. Once they were alone, Kristoff hurled himself onto his bed, stretching and popping his joints.

"This definitely beats sleeping on that rocking ship, does it not Elsa?" Kristoff said with a sigh. He idly put his hands behind his head and relaxed into the plush mattress. His sister though, was not listening, as per usual.

"I think I will head to the Arendelle gardens," Elsa replied absentmindedly. She really needed to get away and find a peaceful place to collect herself before tonight's spectacle or the princess's birthday would be celebrated in zero degree temperatures.

Kristoff shot off the bed, concerned, "Elsa, are you alright?"

"Fine, fine. I just… need some time alone."

Kristoff nodded. He understood. Tension and stress had been building up inside his sister during their voyage, he could see it. He could feel it. Being trapped on a ship with so many people and no way off could do that to a man, especially if that man was a woman had the ability to kill everyone on that ship with the slightest flick of her wrist.

Thinking about it now, Kristoff now understood how selfish he had been asking his sister to come with him. Ever since that dreadful night, his sister was like a wolf who had been caged its whole life, finally set loose on the world. Powerful and deadly, but all alone, and not able to comprehend itself nor world around it. She was not the fun-loving free spirit anymore. She was a wolf in sheep's clothing. No one but him knew. No one but him could ever know.

Kristoff let her go without another word and returned to his bed. Elsa shut the door to his bedroom behind her.

_Finally, some peace and quiet_, Elsa thought. It wasn't that she hated her brother or his persistent enthusiasm, she just found it challenging to be around him all the time, or anyone else for that matter. It drained her energy which loosened the restraints on her self-control. That of course was never a good thing and could have disastrous consequences if certain measures were not taken. Measures such as leaving the mess of humans and spending some time alone. Besides, it was safer alone. No chance of her secret getting out.

After wandering about the castle for some time, Elsa finally found the Arendelle gardens. As she entered, she noticed the sky had cleared up a bit, patches of blue escaping through the thick dark clouds. The birds sang and chirped among the wet flowers and trailing vines. It was the peace and quiet Elsa was looking for. Or so she thought.

"Erik, I am flattered, truly I am. Perhaps we can speak tonight during the celebration tonight? I promise to save you a dance." A sweet voice cut through the garden. Elsa, displeased to find she was not alone but curious to see who else was here with her, quietly made her way through the winding garden paths towards the voice.

"Very well, your highness. I shall see you tonight for the dance."

Elsa ducked behind a large tree after spotting the two royals. She watched as the man, Erik, knelt to one knee and placed a fierce kiss upon the girl's soft hand. She watched him with bright teal eyes that had trouble hiding her disgust. Her strawberry red hair was done up in a neat bun, excluding her bangs. Her dress clung tightly to her body, highlighting her curves. Elsa had to admit, she was quite stunning. He then stood and left, leaving the girl amongst the tall trees. She let out a heavy sigh and made her way to a stone bench where she slumped down, the regality leaving her.

"He is far to persistent for my taste," the girl muttered to herself, wringing her hands, "Always following me wherever I go, and it has only been a day! This is not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to meet people."

At this point Elsa knew she had to either introduce herself or quietly make her escape as she had been staring far too long at the scene for it to be normal. She chose the latter. She would have plenty of time to converse with this girl later, if she so wished. She would just go back the way she came, avoiding both Erik and-

A branch snapped under her foot.

"Is… someone there?" The young woman swiftly got to her feet and turned around, startled.

Elsa cringed and silently berated herself, slapping a gloved palm to her forehead. _I am such a moron_, she thought. She straightened her attire and ran a hand through her braided hair, making herself look more presentable and less like she was just stalking her behind a tree. She then dared to step out from behind said tree.

"I apologize for startling you, my lady," Elsa said, composure in hand. The beautiful girl breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, think nothing of it I just thought you were… someone else. Some of the princes here have no concept of personal space nor any understanding of the word 'no'. You would not believe-" She abruptly stopped her train of thought, realizing she had begun to ramble, "I apologize. Have you been here long?"

"Here as in the garden? Or here as in Arendelle?" Elsa questioned.

"Here as in the garden. Did you see, well, did you see-"

Elsa figured what she was getting at, "Yes I saw your encounter with, uh, Erik I believe his name was," she then quickly added, "but I swear to you I was not purposely eavesdropping on you or him."

"Oh, I would never assume that kind of behavior from someone such as yourself! I had just hoped no one would see me make a fool of myself, especially on my birthday-" Elsa's head shot up. Birthday? Elsa made a mental note to slap herself later. She had assumed this girl was just another royal invited for the celebration, but it was none other that the princess herself. Princess Anna.

Elsa knelt down with haste and bowed very low, "Forgive me your highness. I had no idea who I was speaking with and I am afraid I made a fool of myself. Allow me to apologize."

"Please, there is no need for apologies, you have not offended me in any way," Anna said. She was rather taken with the sincerity in the blonde's voice. She took this moment to really look at the noble kneeling before her.

Anna thought she was beautiful, to say the least. Upon first seeing her she thought this, but did not have time to truly admire her until now. She was not wearing a dress, as was customary of a noble woman, but instead a perfectly tailored dark blue suit and an accompanying white vest. _Perhaps she is one of the suitors visiting to win my hand in marriage_, Anna pondered. _I would definitely not be opposed to her advances_. Anna blushed at that thought.

"Princess, it is getting rather late in the day. Perhaps I could escort you back to the dining hall for dinner? It would be my great pleasure." Elsa said, standing up and offering her arm.

"So very chivalrous of you. Are you not one of the many suitors here to claim my hand?" Anna asked, taking the blonde's arm gently. Elsa felt her cheeks burn, and she hoped the princess would not notice.

"No I am afraid not, your highness, but my brother is. I believe you will find him very sweet."

_Not nearly as sweet as you_, was all Anna could think. And then she realized something.

"And who might this sweet man be? Who might you be? Forgive me, I never thought to ask of your name until now." Anna realized, rather embarrassed. There had been more apologizing in the last few minutes between the two of them then there had been actual conversation. Anna was determined to change that.

"No harm done. My brother is King Kristoff Njarovik. I am his sister, Elsa."


	3. We Are Not Alone

**Hey everyone bet you thought you'd seen the last of me! I cannot believe it has been two weeks. I know this chapter took forever but I had a lot to do. After chapter 1 I realized that I had no plot so I spent a couple days figuring that out and on top of that, this chapter was longer so there's that too. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy! Hopefully I will be churning these bad boys out more frequently, but we will see. We shall see...**

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Chapter 2: We Are Not Alone

"I should probably tell you this- and it is rather embarrassing- but I have no idea where the Royal Banquet Hall is." Elsa confessed. The pair was taking their time, wandering through the lush greenery and savoring the fragrant air. It wasn't until they came upon the heavy oak doors covered in tendrils of ivy that Elsa broke the silence with her confession.

Anna smiled at that, tugging on the blonde's arm, "Well you are in luck then. I happen to know exactly where it is."

She had met this woman mere minutes ago, and yet- in the most cliche sense- Anna felt she had known her all her life. Of course, the young princess knew nothing about her except her name and lineage, but she could not shake the feeling that they had met before. The princess could not fathom why she felt such intense affection for someone she had just met. Anna wanted to know more. She needed to know more.

"So if you are not here to… what are you here for?" Anna asked. Elsa creased her brow, unsure of how to answer that question. What was she here for? In all honesty, she didn't know. Kristoff had asked her to come, sure, but she could have easily told him no. In fact, this was the first time she had not turned her brother down and Elsa still couldn't figure out why. Anna glanced up at the blonde who was deep in thought. She mistook her silence for distress.

"Oh no! I didn't mean it like that! I just… well… if your brother is here for business and such, are just here to… galavant?"

Elsa laughed and shook her head, "Believe it or not my brother said that exact same thing to me. I am not really sure why I am here but I suppose 'galavant' would be a suitable explanation. Parties, however, are not my most treasured form of socializing."

"Maybe I will be the one to change that. I for one love parties, I'm sure I could get you to love them too. Perhaps you should spend the night with me. I promise to make it memorable." Anna finished with more than a hint of immodesty.

Elsa was flustered to say the least and had to fight off the blush that was blooming on her cheeks. Feelings that Elsa had not felt for a long time were surfacing. So long, in fact, that she didn't know what to do with them.

"I would be a fool not to take you up on that." Elsa replied with a dazzling smile.

By the time they made it to the banquet hall people were already finding their seats. Elsa admired the grand the room in awe. No expense was spared. The polished chandelier hung over the masses of royalty and gleamed with a vigor like none other. There were a dozen hand-crafted long wood tables that were carefully laid out across the floors and scores of princes, princesses, and other members of nobility celebrated among them. Raised upon a large dais sat the King and Queen of Arendelle, as well as a few honored guests. Elsa noticed her brother sitting up there with the King, no doubt discussing business.

"Princess Anna, there you are!" A slim man with dark hair and a clean shaven face appeared before them. Erik. Elsa was starting to hate the man.

"Your parents were starting to get worried that you had run off. They asked me to find you and bring you to your seat." The slender man offered his arm. Elsa bit back a scowl. _He just doesn't know when to quit, does he_, Elsa thought. She could only imagine the rage the princess was holding back. How she kept a pleasant smile and a winning attitude in the wake of this non-stop nightmare, Elsa would never know.

"Well you found me," the princess retorted, trying to hide her irritation. She turned to Elsa. "Will you join me at my table?"

The blonde opened her mouth to speak but before any words got out, Erik answered for her, rather hurriedly.

"Unfortunately there are no more seats available at our table. The King and Queen invite only the very best to dine exclusively with them."

_And I suppose you think you are 'the very best'_, Elsa thought with malice. It was all she could do not to say the words out loud. She was so tired of the arrogance that filled the room, she thought she would choke on their hubris. Everyone here acted like they were better than everyone else. Her knuckles cracked loudly as her hands formed fists. She could feel frost forming on the insides of her gloves. With each passing moment, her need to start a fight with someone escalated tenfold. She could hear her heart pounding in her head making her dizzy.

Anna grabbed her arm, rubbing her thumb back and forth over the creases of the fabric.

"Elsa, are you ok?"

It was enough to snap her out of it, "Yes. I'm fine. I'll see you after the banquet." She made a move to leave but the princess tightened the grip on her arm.

"Elsa are you sure-"

"Just go." Elsa cut her off. Anna released the blonde, taken aback. The hurt Elsa saw in Anna's eyes cut her deep. She wanted to apologize right then and there, but the alarming amount of frost spreading across her gloves took priority. Elsa practically ran out of the expansive room making her way into the vacant hall.

"What is wrong with me?" she whispered to no one in particular. _Control yourself._ Elsa tried to calm her breathing, watching the ice fade from her hands. She didn't understand how this could have happened. It had been _years_ since her last incident. _It just all happened too fast. I never should have-_

"I thought dinner was taking place _inside _the banquet hall. Perhaps I'm mistaken."

Elsa visibly jumped and whipped her head around, startled by the voice. It was the brunette from the throne room. She was wearing the same scarlett dress as before, which showed off more skin than Elsa dared to observe. A soft laugh escaped the brunette's full, red lips.

"Startle easily, do you?"

"Only when I am being stalked by a stranger."

"You think I'm stalking you?"

"What else would you call it?"

"Call it what you want, I am not a stalker."

"Then what are you doing here?"

The brunette gave her a striking smile, flashing her brilliant teeth, "I wanted to speak with you. I have been waiting a long time to meet you," she closed the distance between them, "My name is Clara. You and I are one in the same."

Elsa's initial panic gave way to confusion. What was she talking about?

"What are you talking about?"

Clara took the blonde's hand in hers and removed the glove. Elsa snatched her hand back, "What the hell do you think-"

"Calm down. Look, this is going to be hard for you to hear and I doubt you will believe me at first, but I know about your- for lack of a better word- your condition, your powers." Clara spoke softly, doing her best not to alarm the taller girl. To no avail.

Elsa's eyes widened in horror as adrenaline flooded her system. She couldn't even entertain the idea of trying to lie her way out of it since ice started crawling up her arms, weaving into the fabric of her coat. A few guests were still loitering in the halls, taking their time as they headed towards the banquet hall, and one glance from any of them would lead to either a terrifying escape or a bitter death. The brunette pressed her body to Elsa's, helping to hide some of the obvious frost that was inching up her form, and wedged a firm hand in between the blonde's shoulder blades, forcing her to the nearest door in the hallway.

"I thought I told you to calm down," Clara muttered under her breath shoving Elsa into the closet as gently as she could, which wasn't very gentle at all. Haste was her priority, not comfort, and she was certain Elsa was on the same page. The closet was small and compact, forcing Elsa and Clara chest to chest as she closed the door behind her, leaving them in the dark.

"I'm trying," Elsa said through clenched teeth. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. She tried to focus on her hands drawing the power back in, pulling the frost back into her fingertips. After a few moments, Elsa heard the brunette speak.

"Good. Now we can talk."

"Don't you think it would be more comfortable if we talked literally anywhere else?" Elsa reached for the door behind the brunette, a very cold arm brushing against her side. Clara shuddered and shoved Elsa back against the wall by the lapels.

"Hey!"

"I know for a fact you can't promise me you won't lose it again with what I'm about to tell you, so no. I think this is the most comfortable place for us at the moment," Clara purred into the taller girl's ear. The blonde shivered at the hot breath on her neck.

"Now listen; I have gifts too," she said. Elsa had a million questions. She opened her mouth to voice one of them, but a finger to her lips stopped her.

"No questions until I'm finished. My powers are unlike yours if you were wondering. I have the gift of foresight. I have visions that show me the future-well, usually. The future is always changing, but I tend to get it right most of the time. That is how I knew you would be here, although I am still trying to figure out why. Given what I have seen, you are a fuse to a bomb waiting to be set off in a crowd," she looked up at Elsa, a questioning look on her face, "Why are you here?"

This was the second time she had been asked that today and she still didn't have an answer. In truth, she still didn't know why she came. She could have easily turned down Kristoff like every other time he had asked her, but something had drawn her here. Elsa still could not explain nor understand the feeling, but she felt like some unknown force pulled her there.

"I don't know. I guess, something drew me here-"

"Oh good, I thought I was the only one."

"W-What are you saying?"

"I felt the same. Someone or something is here, drawing us to it. I bet my life it has something to do with our godblood."

"Excuse me?"

"Godblood. Do you not- do you not know about the origins of your- our gifts?" Clara asked incredulous. The dumbfounded look on Elsa's face was all the answer she needed. The brunette understood that throwing all this seemingly new information in her face was a lot to handle, especially for someone who appeared to be ill-equipped to even get through an evening with other people.

"I know all of this is a lot to take, so… how about we get back to the banquet hall before others notice our absence. I promise we will talk later. I can explain everything- almost everything."

There was nothing for Elsa to do but agree, "Fine, but can I at least have my glove back?" Clara hid an amusing smile and obliged. She turned and opened the door, stepping out and pulling Elsa with her.

"Do you think anyone noticed we were gone?" the blonde whispered after they entered the banquet hall. The pair took their seats. Food was already served and the tables were laden with delicacies. Enormous platters of roasted pig, potatoes, cheeses, vegetables, fruits, and desserts filled the tables.

"I doubt it. People are too busy either lusting after the princess or admiring the food they are devouring. We're fine."

They were not fine. Indeed, someone did notice. It was a very jealous redhead that noticed. Elsa had turned cold in a matter of seconds after being so sweet the entire evening, leaving the hall in a hurry. Anna did not understand. Was it something she said, or something she did? Was it Erik? Maybe she came on too strong. Whatever the reason, it was lost on Anna and was irrelevant now, for she had new questions brewing in her mind. Who was the brown-haired woman? Why were Elsa and her together?

Anna nudged the large man sitting next to her with her arm, "Kristoff, do you know that woman sitting by your sister? Did she come to Arendelle with you?" Anna asked, trying to sound casual. The large man looked up from the gigantic pile of food on his plate and located his sister. Elsa and the woman were sitting close to one another, whispering like young lovers feverishly planning the next time they can slip away and see each other. Kristoff smiled to himself.

"Apologies, but no. I have no idea who she is," he said, downing another swig of beer, "but I am grateful my sister finally found someone."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, just look at them. They look like Romeo and Juliet stealing kisses in the dead of night."

Anna did not want to think about that, she was far too upset already. Luck was on her side though, and she was almost relieved when her parents called for everyone to gather in the throne room for the ball. Almost. She promised Erik the first dance and he would not let her forget it.

"Princess Anna, may I escort you to your first dance?" Erik asked, offering his arm once again. Anna had no choice but to accept. She risked a final glance back at Elsa, who was helping the mysterious woman out of her seat, and their eyes met. Butterflies erupted in her stomach before the princess abruptly looked away. They turned the corner and moments later were standing in the throne room. Erik led her to the middle of the marble floor and wrapped a thin arm around her waist, resting his hand on her lower back. A bit too low for Anna's taste. A dozen or so couples joined them on the floor and her father announced for the dancing to ensue. Anna heard the music start up and her feet carried her through the movements. She counted the seconds until the song would end and she could escape.

The princess watched the surrounding crowds as Erik led her in the dance. He was talking to her, telling her about his travels and some other things Anna couldn't care to hear. She nodded occasionally with earnest, just enough to make her appear like she was paying attention. As much as she detested the man before her, it would do no good to purposely lash out. After all, these men that came to win her hand were no mere peasants. They had money, armies, power. Those three things combined with the arrogance and intelligence of an adolescent boy made for a dangerous enemy that Arendelle did not need.

Erik dipped Anna unexpectedly. She tightened her grip on the man in surprise and Erik gave her a smirk. Anna pretended not to notice. _The dance must be over_, she thought. Before Erik could get out a word, the princess spoke, "Thank you Erik for the dance," and disappeared into a crowd of suitors, all asking for the next dance.

Meanwhile, Elsa was leaning up against one of the many white pillars in the room, holding a glass of wine and watching the scene. She felt horrible. In the span of just a few hours, everything had gone wrong. She insulted the heir of Arendelle with her rash behavior, almost lost control in front of some nobles, and met a mysterious woman who told her quite a few incomprehensible things about her world, which completely uprooted her. She wasn't even sure if she believed any of it.

"Are you actually going to drink that wine in your hand?" Clara asked, snapping Elsa out of her thoughts. The blonde gazed over at the woman standing next to her and shook her head.

"No, I don't drink." she said, offering it to Clara. The shorter woman took the glass, but shot Elsa a bewildered look. The blonde shrugged her shoulders.

"Drinking makes me erratic and loosens my grip on uh, my powers."

"Then why did you have a glass in your hand?"

"It is something for my hands to focus on," Elsa said matter of factly.

"Hmm. You want to know something else your hands could focus on? The princess." Elsa would have choked on the wine if she had had any. Elsa's mind wandered into obscene territory. She pictured her cold hands running up Anna's thighs, making the princess shiver with delight and- Elsa shook her head.

"What are you talking about?"

"No need to play coy with me, I saw you escort her to the banquet. I know you have a thing for her, and her you. The princess needs saving from the hoard of suitors about to consume her. I suggest you do it." Clara said, pushing Elsa towards the crowd. The blonde resisted.

"Oh no, that is not a good idea. I am the last person she wants to see right now, trust me."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing good."

"Perfect. Now is the time to apologize," Clara replied with a mischievous grin, giving Elsa one final shove. She fell through the crowd of suitors and stumbled into Anna, her face nearly finding a home in the princess's breasts before Elsa found her footing. Elsa understood quickly that there was no way out of this one. Acting as if nothing embarrassing took place mere seconds ago, she straightened her suit coat and vest, holding out a gloved hand. With the small amount of nerve she could muster, Elsa spoke, "May I dance with you?"

The swarm of men surrounding the two of them started to protest before Anna even got a chance to respond. Elsa turned and shot them a glare so sharp, it could cut stone. The swaths of young men shut up immediately and soon dissipated.

"So, what do you say?" Elsa asked again. Elsa was unable to read the look on Anna's face and for a moment, she worried that she would be turned down or even yelled at for her earlier provocation in the banquet hall. Elsa was about to apologize for the millionth time that day when Anna finally gave her answer.

"Yes," she said, "on one condition; you tell me what is going on."

Elsa nodded her head avidly, "Sure, whatever you want."

"I like the sound of that," Anna grinned. Elsa placed a gentle hand on the small of Anna's back and she jumped. Elsa quickly withdrew her hand afraid she had just frosted Arendelle's heir, but upon inspection, her gloves were clean.

"Sorry my hands are always cold. If that's a problem I can-"

"Your hands are fine, I just was not expecting it. It is summer after all. Is that why you wear the gloves? Because your hands are always cold?"

"Something like that."

The song began and the music moved them. _Should I just start talking or let her start? Maybe if I say nothing, she won't ask me_, one part of Elsa thought desperately. Another more prominent part of her told her to grow up and face her fears. She listened.

"I owe you an apology. I should have never lost my temper and left you in the arms of Erik."

"Apology accepted. But you still haven't told me why." Anna said. She looked up into Elsa's dark blue eyes, searching for the answer. Elsa pursed her lips. What could she say? The truth was not an option.

"I struggle with my...temper." Elsa cringed. It was a half truth, and a half truth is better than an all out lie. She could keep track of a half truth. It was the best Elsa could do.

"Look, Erik may be dumb as a block of ice, but I am not. I can see how much you detest him, even if he can't, so when he interrupted us and… He pissed me off. I was having a great time with you and I think- I-I mean it seemed like you were having a good time too. I mean, you were, right?" The blonde finished dumbly. Anna smiled a sweet, sweet smile at the tall blonde that made Elsa's heart flutter.

"Yes, I was. In fact I still am," Anna replied. Elsa couldn't help but give the princess a crooked smile.

Soon after, the dance ended but there was no hoard of suitors to greet them. Just a single man with bronze hair accompanied with large sideburns.

"Elsa, a pleasure to finally meet you," he said smoothly, bowing.

"I am sorry, do I know you?" Elsa asked. _This man is all kinds of odd._

"No, you don't. I am Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. I could not help but notice that beautiful sword at your hip. Have you ever even swung a sword?" Hans asked accusingly with a smirk. Elsa could not figure his angle. _Why did he care?_

_What is he trying to do?_ Elsa thought. _Is he really trying to start a fight with me right now? _If that was the case, Elsa was ready. She could take him on. At this point she was itching for a fight, but she was never one to hit first.

"I have. The question is, why do you care?"

"The games start tomorrow, as you know, for the princess's birthday festivities. I came to challenge you to single combat."


	4. The Weather Outside is Frightful

**Hello again, it is I, the lame-ass who decided to use a Christmas song lyric as the title of this next chapter. Just so we're clear I LIVE for the people who follow, favorite, and leave reviews, so a big shoutout to those who do that. Please continue to do that. To the guest who asked if there will be other Disney characters in this story: Hell yes. I don't want to give too much away, but Rapunzel and many others will definitely play a part in the narrative.**

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Chapter 3: The Weather Outside is Frightful

"I accept." Elsa replied coolly, without a moment's hesitation. After all, it was not in her nature to refuse. Especially to a man so obviously itching for a fight.

"Delightful," Hans smiled at her, a perfectly calculated grin that showed off his pearly white teeth, but it did not reach his eyes. There was something empty about the gesture that made Elsa uneasy. It felt more like he was baring his teeth in aggression than anything else.

"I think I will acquaint myself with the chocolate refreshments," Elsa said, clenching her jaw. She was talking to Anna, but her calculating blue eyes never left the prince. Hans turned his attention to the princess, holding out an upturned hand as he did so in a single fluid motion.

"Well then, as you are in need of another partner, would you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?" He asked. His voice was smooth and charming. Anna glanced at Elsa, who was still carefully watching Hans, eyes darting between the two in confusion. They were acting rather odd.

Anna cleared her throat, "Actually, I believe I will accompany Elsa to the refreshments. Perhaps another time?" Anna responded genuinely, giving him a warm smile. With that, Elsa left arm in arm with Anna.

"Another time, then," Hans called out after them. Anna threw him a smile over her shoulder.

Now that there were no close witnesses, Anna could begin her verbal assault on Elsa. And oh, did she ever.

"What was that all about? And why would you say yes to single combat? People die, Elsa! And not in a dignified, heroic way. They die wallowing in the dirt, or even weeks after a fight as their wounds begin to fester, and I'm not sure which is worse!"

Anna was becoming delirious as her voice grew louder and her words took flight at an alarming rate, "Do you want to die? Or are you just stupid? How could you-"

"Princess, please," Elsa said, trying to calm her down, "Calm down. People are watching." She placed a cool gloved hand atop Anna's own, which was squeezing her arm with a wicked strength.

Elsa looked around the room. A few of the royals were giving her wary glances. Elsa's heartbeat quickened at the unwanted attention and it felt like her rib cage was tightening around her lungs, crushing her from the inside. The inside of her gloves were frosting over. She tried to step away from the princess, but she had an iron grip. Panic seized her, sinking its sharp teeth into her mind. She was sent into a cold sweat that instantly froze on her skin.

"Calm down? Didn't you ever learn that you should never tell a woman to calm down? Honestly-"

"Okay. I'm sorry. I won't do the tournament." Elsa spoke quickly. She would have said anything at this point, if only to stave off the blooming scrutiny from fellow onlookers.

"I- wait, really?"

Elsa nodded her head. Anna pursed her lips, searching Elsa's dark blue eyes for the truth, "Promise?" A few seconds passed before Elsa finally faltered, unable to suffer her intense gaze any longer, and focused her attention on the uncompromising hold Anna had on Elsa's arm.

"Would you so kindly release the death grip on my arm?" Elsa asked, trying to break the tension and change the topic.

Anna's cheeks lit up like a brazen wildfire and she quickly let go of her. Elsa rubbed some life back into her arm as the princess muttered an apology. She was a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for.

"I don't know why you are taking your anger out on me. If anything, your quarrel is with Hans. He challenged _me_, not the other way around," Elsa said, shaking her head, "I'm not sure why it matters to you so much anyway."

That last sentence caught Anna off guard.

"Its- I just-" Anna stuttered. She let out a heavy sigh and bit her lower lip, "I just don't want you to see get hurt."

_Then don't watch_, is what Elsa wanted to say, but she held her bitter tongue. She didn't understand Anna, not one bit. She searched those bright teal eyes with her own, trying to uncover the mystery within. Why did she care? They had spent maybe three hours together at best. _At best_. They knew precious little about each other, and while Elsa undoubtedly liked the princess, she had no control when she was around her.

All she wanted to do was please the princess, make her happy, keep her safe.

_Keep her safe_. From others, sure, but from herself mostly, and she knew the best way to do that- the _only_ way to do that- was to stay away.

Elsa was torn between her need to be as close to Anna as possible, and the necessity to protect her. Though Elsa would never say it out loud, she craved Anna's presence like none other. There was only one other person who even came close to how Anna made her feel and that was…

Belle.

The floodgates of her mind blew open and in came a hurricane of destruction.

_Oh gods, Belle_. Elsa's heart clenched at the thought of her, and broke when she remembered what she did to her.

Terrifying memories swarmed her mind like a pack of savage wolves. Memories she thought she buried long ago in the furthest reaches of her mind. Images of her previous lover overwhelmed her vision, and Elsa shook her head violently to rid herself of them. She had no intention of reliving that nightmare.

Her expression hardened like stone.

Suddenly, the answer was very clear. She had to end this right now. For her own sake. For Anna's. For she was a wolf, a beast of winter, parading around in this human cage, wearing decorative clothes and using fanciful words. _But a wolf is still a wolf, even in a cage, even dressed in silk, and wolves did not belong in the land of people._

It was only ever a matter of time before someone got hurt. Elsa knew this to be true. The last person she was close to walked away with a handful of scars. She was lucky to have walked away at all. Elsa hated herself for what she did, what she could still do. She swore to never let it happen again. It was best to just end this now, before she ended up hurting someone else. Before she ended up hurting Anna.

"I have to go," Elsa spoke abruptly, her voice steady and void of emotion.

The princess's eyes widened, "Wait, Elsa-" She reached for the blonde's arm, but she jerked away and stepped aside. Elsa refused to even spare her a glance before disappearing into the crowd. Anna watched her go, arm still outstretched in longing.

Just like that, Elsa was gone again.

Was it something she said? Was it something she did?

Of course it was. _I knew I should have kept my mouth shut_, Anna thought, resentful of her inability to hold her tongue. Usually, this was not a problem. Ok, that was a lie, but then again people tended not to mind her incessant ranting, or if they did, nobody told _her_ about it.

_I know I should have kept my mouth shut, but I was only telling her the truth_, Anna reasoned. _Is that so wrong? _

Maybe it was when Elsa was involved, for she was so different from the rest. Yes, she was beautiful as many of the nobles were, although Anna felt that word did not do her justice. Yes, she was kind and charming and all the other things that a tenderhearted soul would be. But there was something else, something that drew her to Elsa. It was like there was an invisible string tying them together. Their fates, their hearts, intricately interwoven. Even now, with every step Elsa took that carried her away from Anna, she could feel it unraveling.

The distance was tearing her apart. Anna felt her eyes water, tears threatening to spill over. She blew it, _again_, and now Elsa was gone. Maybe for good this time.

"Princess Anna, are… you alright?" A deep, rich voice sounded to her left.

Anna quickly wiped at her eyes, ridding herself of the tears before they could stain her freckled cheeks.

"Fine, fine," she said, trying to hide the fact that she was just about to break down in a fit of mourning. This was not the time nor place to cry. "Are you alright?" she asked out of reflex.

The man chuckled, and Anna finally faced him.

Her eyes widened in astonishment when she saw him. He reminded her of a marble statue. He shared the same smooth, pale complexion, along with the perfectly chiseled features of a god. His deep set eyes were the color of the north sea, much like Elsa's. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around, lined with stubble. His tousled brown hair was thick and lustrous.

"I am quite alright, though if my powers of perception are not mistaken, it seems that you are not," He spoke. His voice was warm and gentle, a soothing melody to Anna's ears after the cold, sharp tone of Elsa. Anna swallowed the rising emotions in her throat.

"Its- Its nothing. A minor inconvenience, that's all. Thank you though, Prince…?" She glanced down at the crest displayed proudly on his chest, recognizing it immediately, "Rakkestad… Vincent of Rakkestad?"

"The one and only." He smiled earnestly for a moment, but then his expression grew serious, "Are you certain you're okay?" Anna flushed, touched by his concern. The sincerity made her stomach flutter.

"I appreciate your worry, but it really was nothing." She lied through her teeth, but what else could she say? That the one person she wanted wouldn't have her? And that person happened to be someone she just met? No, even she had enough sense to realize that it sounded crazy.

A crease formed between Vincent's brows, doubtful of her answer.

"Forgive me for prying, but anything that brings tears to your eyes is not nothing. It looked like an argument was unfolding. She… didn't harm you in any way, did she?"

"No!" Anna said rushing to Elsa's defense a bit too quickly. Her cheeks felt hot, "I mean, no, of course not. She's not like that. It wasn't like that."

Vincent nodded his head, "Very well. I won't press further."

There was a pregnant pause as Vincent and Anna both waited for the other to say something. Anna broke the silence first.

"Would you like to come with me? To the gardens?" Anna asked. _Gods, I almost sound desperate_, Anna thought. She was. Her cheeks lit up in embarrassment for the onehundereth time that night and she had to stab and kill the urge to bury her face in her hands.

Vincent didn't seem to mind. He grinned and offered a warm hand. Anna took it gratefully and she felt a rush of relief flood her body.

For the first time that night, Elsa was not on her mind.

Elsa couldn't stop thinking about Anna. How perfect she was, how beautiful, how kind. Her fond words kept replaying in the blonde's head, '_I just don't want to see you get hurt._' What did she ever do to deserve such kindness? _ The gods must be playing some grand trick on me. If she ever found out what I have done, she would surely despise me like so many before her. Stop while you're ahead for once._

Elsa muttered to herself as she stormed through the vacant castle halls, alone and angry. She knew the anger that burned inside her like she knew the back of her hand or the beating of her cold heart. Ever since her parents' death, this black fury had wormed its way into every small fissure of her being until it became a part of who she was. Most of the time, she hated it, but right now she was grateful for this anger. It was easier to be angry than hurt. It was easier to be furious than yearning.

"Where on earth do you think you're going?" Clara's question pierced the silence and Elsa's anger soared into unbridled rage. Ice arched up her form, frosting her clothes.

"Leave me alone!" she growled. Her mighty voice shook the hall, but Clara was not troubled by this. It would take more than a sour mood to dispatch her.

"Lover's quarrel?" she asked, knowing well before-hand it was the wrong thing to say. Elsa stopped dead in her tracks, and glared at Clara with a look that could turn people to stone.

"You have a horrible temper," Clara stated in a nonchalant manner, raising an eyebrow.

"And you have no concept of personal space!" Elsa howled, throwing her arms in the air. Ice erupted from her hands and battered the tall windows lining the hall, shattering the glass into impossibly small pieces. Clara covered her head as the glass rained down upon her. Elsa's eyes widened in horror at the destruction she created and then narrowed in disgust. A cool breeze filtered into the hall. Luckily, there were no icy remains, just the glass, and the idea that once, windows existed there.

"Leave me be," Elsa whispered. The rage abandoned her, and with it, her strength. Her anger was nothing but a veil to hide her pain and now that it was lifted, all that remained was the all-consuming misery. Elsa folded her arms tightly over her chest and continued down her previous path.

"Elsa, wait." Clara reached to touch her arm, but she was so cold it felt like she was sticking her fingers into an open flame, and she pulled her hand back in shock. Elsa let out a bitter laugh.

"See? People can't even_ touch me_ half the time without getting hurt," Elsa drew further into herself, and let out a shaky breath, "Earlier, you called this a gift. I wanted to tell you how wrong you were then, but now you see, don't you? This is not a gift, and I am not a good person. You should find someone else to take an interest in, because this only ends one way."

Clara shook her head, "You're wrong." She spoke with such resolve that it made Elsa doubt the truth of her own words, and she shot a questioning look at Clara.

"About what?"

"All of it."

Elsa scoffed and shook her head in disbelief. Clara ignored her.

"Look, all you need is to relax, let off some steam. You can either roll around in your own self pity or fix the problem." Elsa looked at her, desperation maring her perfect features.

"_How?_"

Clara thought for a moment. Then her lips quirked up into a small smile and said, "Let me take you somewhere."

Elsa squinted at her, suspicious of her cryptic answer, "...Where?" Clara only gave her a sly smirk and took off at a fast pace down the hall.

"Hey- Where are you going?" Elsa questioned, calling after her. Clara didn't respond. She ran a nervous hand through her platinum locks.

_She is crazy_, Elsa thought, but she followed her anyway, partly because she wanted to distance herself from the mess she made of the windows, and partly because she was curious about Clara's enigmatic solution. She quickly caught up to Clara as they turned a corner.

They raced out of the castle doors like a couple of children, their laughter echoing in the night air. The cool wind whipped at their faces, hair blowing behind them as their feet kissed the ground with every quick step. By the time Clara stopped in front of the stables they were both gasping for air.

"You wanted to take me… to the stables?" Elsa said in between breaths, "We could have walked." Clara chuckled.

"No, this is not the destination," she said through a smile, "My horse is here. Where I'm taking you is much more… _secluded_." Elsa did not miss the flirtatious tone, and a blush crawled up her neck.

"Oh. Right," was all the blonde could choke out. Now she was worried about where exactly Clara planned to take her and what she planned to do once they were there.

The blonde watched as Clara ushered out a sleek black steed by the reigns, pulling up to where Elsa waited. While in the stables, she had donned a black cloak. It only served to make her that much more attractive, as the red of her lips and dress contrasted so beautifully with the black of her cloak.

The horse snorted at her and nudged at Elsa with its snout, ushering her out of her stupor. She recoiled from the creature, stumbling backwards.

"She likes you," Clara said with more than a hint of mirth. She swung herself into the saddle in one fluid motion, her dress hiking up her thigh as she straddled the beast of burden with her toned legs. The blonde politely averted her gaze, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully.

"Great. I can add your horse to the embarrassingly short list of individuals that do." Elsa muttered. She stared up at Clara who motioned for her to climb on behind her.

"Are you going to stand there all night staring at me?" the brunette asked, shooting Elsa a dazzling smile, "I know I'm stunning, but we haven't the time."

"I am not getting on that thing."

Clara laughed, not believing what she was hearing, "Are you afraid of horses? Big, bad Elsa with ice powers can't take on a horse?"

"No," Elsa defended herself, clenching her jaw, "Horses just… don't agree with me."

"Hmm. Okay, well what are you going to do? Run alongside me and Kari?" Clara was joking, but Elsa saw it as an actual solution and nodded her head.

"Sure."

Clara rolled her eyes, "Don't be ridiculous. Get on the horse." Elsa glowered at her. What options did she have? It was either run back into the castle and lock herself in until the tournament tomorrow or get on the damn horse with Clara and see what she had to offer. Running and hiding was more attractive.

Alas, Elsa grit her teeth and walked over to the side of the horse, a string of curses racing through her mind. She gripped the saddle uncomfortably tight, her knuckles turning a ghostly white under the cover of her gloves. The horse shuffled nervously, which only served to make Elsa more agitated.

"Easy girl," Clara cooed as Elsa stiffly swung a leg over the beast. She sat down in the saddle behind the brunette, spine straight and rigid.

"Try not to sit so stiffly. Be flexible. Bend to the movements beneath you," Clara stated. She turned and her eyes softened at the sight of the anxiety ridden blonde sitting behind her. Elsa's hands were clenched firmly at her trousers, and her face was saturated with apprehension. She delicately took Elsa's hands and wrapped them around herself, breathing a small sigh of relief when she did not burn at the touch like last time.

Elsa trembled as she gently placed her hands on the brunette's stomach, feeling the hot shifting muscles of her core beneath her fingers. Her face flushed at the contact and she was glad Clara could not see her face.

"Hold on tight and try to relax," Clara said, spurring on Kari, "And don't worry. _I'm an excellent rider_."

Elsa was so flustered, she wanted to flee into the shadows of the twilight and let them swallow her whole. _Why must she plague me with her endless teasing? Has she no shame?_

Minutes passed in comfortable silence as Kari took them further and further away from the bustle of the castle and the surrounding city. Soon enough, they entered the forest just as the leaves were catching the last rays of sunlight. The trees were alight with birdsong, each melody carried along by the slight breeze that fluttered through the branches. The calm of the woods caressed Elsa's skin like a cool autumn breeze, soothing her soul, filing away her jagged edges. She breathed in, letting the brisk fall air fill her lungs.

She tried to relax, but something felt… wrong. Or missing. Almost like she had left something behind at the castle. Her heart started to ache with each stride of the mighty steed beneath her, and she removed a hand from Clara's waist to grasp at her throbbing chest. _What is going on?_ The brunette stole a glance back at her friend and pulled on Kari's reigns, making her come to a complete stop.

"Are you alright?" Clara asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I-" A flash of bewilderment crossed Elsa's face and she looked back in the direction of Arendelle. "I don't know," she finished lamely.

"It's the pull, isn't it?" Clara asked, though it sounded like she already knew the answer. She hopped off her horse, placing a warm hand on Elsa's thigh, "Gods, it's getting stronger. I mean I feel it too, but… it doesn't hurt me like it does you. Are you going to be okay?"

Elsa waved her off dismissively and hopped from the horse as well, though not so gracefully, "I'm fine, really. It doesn't hurt that much, it's just…" She furrowed her brow, searching for the right word, "strange. The feeling, I mean."

Clara regarded her with wild determination, "When we get back we are going to find the source, no matter what it takes." Elsa raised an eyebrow at her, roused by the intensity.

Then the fire in her eyes died down into a faint glow, "But first, seclusion, as I promised."

Elsa took in the view around her. They were in a valley, the forest around them was scarce and thin, most of the trees were dead and rotting. There were no birds singing amongst the canopy, nor creatures wrestling in the branches. The gentle breeze blowing past them was the only thing that lived here.

"Wow. You really know how to pick a destination," Elsa mocked. Clara slapped her in the arm.

"This dead stretch of forest is perfect for you to let off a little steam without disturbing the peace."

Elsa cocked her head in confusion, " I thought we were going to… I don't know, a spa or something, or even… _a brothel_." She cringed as she said the last word. Amusement lit up Clara's face.

"_What?_" she laughed, doubling over and holding her sides. Elsa watched her, shifting her weight from foot to foot and rubbing the back of her neck, a blush creeping up her neck.

"Well- y- you," Elsa stammered. She steeled herself, "You have been extremely… _ indecorous_. I just assumed that you would take me to a place with, uh, loose morals."

Clara's chocolate eyes glimmered with joviality and desire.

"If that's what you prefer, well," Clara gave her a sultry look and unhooked the front of her cloak, revealing her ample cleavage, "I'm more than willing." The brunette winked at her.

Elsa's legs turned to pudding, and it was all she could do to not fall to her knees. She averted her eyes, covering them with a gloved hand.

"How about we just… do what we came here to do," Elsa said, walking into the middle of the clearing on shaky legs.

"If that's what you want," Clara said, winking at her. The blonde ignored it.

Elsa turned around, "You might want to take a few hundred steps back. Or maybe head back to the castle." Clara gave her a questioning look.

"Trust me."

"Alright," Clara responded, shrugging her shoulders. Elsa watched her climb up the hill with Kari to the top of the valley, finding a well protected spot behind a family of sturdy maple trees.

Convinced she was in at least a relatively safe spot, she spun around and took a deep breath.

Upon its release, Elsa let go. Ice ripped across the valley, racing along the ground and climbing up the masses of dead trees. The very air itself froze to sub degree temperatures as she raised her palms to the sky. Dark clouds converged in the sky above her swirling into a raging vortex that shook the forest. The wind whipped furiously at Elsa and Clara's clothes, howling sharply.

That's when the blizzard began.

The blizzard came with nature's determination and Elsa's unchecked power, a primal force that conquered every inch of land and numbed the world of color. It was a swirling storm of screaming silver that grew and grew until it consumed all that the eye could see. Clara observed the impossible feat that now devoured all of Arendelle, mouth agape and cloak drawn tightly around her form. She shivered from both the cold and the sheer power she was witnessing.

The ferocious winds carrying the hefty snow on its back ripped at Clara's face, chilling her to her marrow. The cloak and flimsy dress did nothing to keep winter's cold hands from seizing her and stealing what little warmth remained. She closed her eyes and fell to her knees, waiting, hoping for it to be over soon.

The moment seemed to stretch on for hours, before the winds died, falling back into their more gentle ways, though the storm would not be so easily quelled. Snow still fell from the black sky in heavy bursts and the breeze, though tender, possessed an unnatural chill.

Clara opened her eyes tentatively, and saw Elsa standing in all her glory, watching her with a concerned expression. The blonde clambered up the side of the valley which was still covered in an impenetrable layer of ice, and dropped to her knees in front of Clara.

"Did I hurt you? Why are you on the ground? Are you going to be alright?" Elsa asked frantically, checking her over for injuries, "Gods, I knew this was a bad idea!"

Clara ignored her questions and her agitated tone. She shook off the blonde and rose to her feet, her frozen joints protesting the entire time.

She peered down into Elsa's dark eyes with unwavering admiration, placing a trembling hand on Elsa's cheek.

"I've never seen anything like you."


	5. A Horrible Idea, An Unwanted Discovery

**Hope you guys had a good holiday! Anyways, here's the next chapter. Enjoy, and let me know what you think :)**

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Chapter 4: A Horrible Idea and an Unwanted Discovery

"Are you really this stupid?" Kristoff roared, his face turning a frightening shade of red. Elsa shot him a look of fierce annoyance, a look she didn't even bother to hide. She understood his anger, truly, she did, but now was not the time for him to be righteous about it. The fight was minutes away and her brother had been spewing this ridicule endlessly for the better part of the day. He was pacing back and forth within the tent as his sister prepared, smoke practically billowing out of his ears.

Elsa tightened the leather bindings on her wrists, securing the sleek metal gauntlets to forearms.

"You cannot go through with this. I won't allow it." Kristoff seethed. Elsa whipped around, her braid flying off her shoulder, wondering if she heard him correctly.

She tried to conceal her ever-growing annoyance, but her voice betrayed her and the words slipped out, "You won't_ allow it_? What are you, my mother?"

"No," Kristoff replied coldly, "Mother's dead. And you will be too if you go through with this!" Kristoff stopped his incessant pacing and jabbed a finger in her direction.

Elsa flinched at the mention of their mother, but refused to give in to her brother's melodrama. She walked over to the table, where her sheathed sword sat in all its glory, just waiting to experience the clamor of steel, and perhaps, if things got violent, the sickly taste of blood.

"What would you have me do, Kristoff?" Elsa asked earnestly. She grabbed the sheathed sword and belt, strapping it to her waist, "Really, I'm asking. What would you have me do? Backing out now would shame our family name, branding us as cowards. Besides," she patted the sword on her hip, "I've been training for this kind of endeavor for years."

Kristoff let out a breath, "Yes I know, but… but your… gift. Elsa, _parties_ make you nervous. How can you possibly expect to maintain control during a fight when you can't even do so talking to other people?"

"This is different. It is a scripted, isolated fight. No surprises, no twists. Just me and him, and only two possible outcomes." Elsa spoke with an air of determination that she felt in her marrow.

"Elsa-" Kristoff began, but the bellowing sound of the crowd cheering on someone's death cut him off. Kristoff watched her, his eyes shifting with worry. Elsa mustered a small smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Without warning, Kristoff pulled her into a hug, a heavy, spine-shattering hug. Elsa was startled and hesitant at first to return it, but slowly sank into the embrace, carefully laying her gloved hands on his back, giving him a soft pat.

"Be careful, Elsa. If your control slips, just send me a look and… I'll start a scene, or something."

"Yeah, you're good at that," she replied, giving him a half smile. Kristoff chuckled, but he could not mask his worry.

"Well… I guess I'll see you out there," Kristoff said, heading towards the tent flaps. He stopped briefly, and turned to shoot her one last look that Elsa could not decipher.

"Try not to be too reckless." He added. Then he was gone.

Elsa looked down at her hands concealed by black gloves.

Nothing. There was nothing. No frost coating her gloves, no ice threatening to make an appearance. Even the usual hum of her power rushing beneath her fair skin was faint.

Elsa couldn't stop the joyful smile that spread across her face. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so light. It was like her chains had been broken and the unbearable burden of her power was lifted from her shoulders. Like Atlas, she knew not what to do with this newfound freedom, for she had always been tethered to it.

"Elsa," a voice sounded from behind. She wheeled, half-expecting it to be Clara. What she found was a small cloaked figure flinging open the tent flaps and marching towards her with fiery determined steps. Elsa, dumbfounded, simply stared as the hood was pulled back to reveal strawberry blonde hair and a freckled face sculpted by the gods.

"Princess Anna? What are you doing? I don't think you're supposed to be here." Elsa said, brow knitted in confusion.

"Are you seriously asking _me_ that question?" Anna huffed, "What are you doing? I thought you said you would back out of the fight!" She finished her sentence, exasperated and breathing hard. Her freckled cheeks were rosy with anger. Elsa tried to hide an amused smile.

"You seemed quite upset last night. I said that so you wouldn't worry."

"Well, obviously that didn't work because here I am, worrying. Did you not see the last fight? Sir Whatever His Name Is lost his head!"

"Well my head is still on my shoulders and I plan to keep it that way," Elsa said crossing her arms over her chest, "Why do you fear for my safety, anyway? You've known me for, what, a day?" There it was again, that question. It was a question that neither of them could answer.

Anna dropped her gaze to the floor and shuffled from foot to foot, her confidence and anger gone in the blink of an eye.

"Its- I just-," she stuttered, "I-I like you. I enjoy your company. More so than anyone I've met." With the confession finally vocalized, the princess let out a long breath and finally met Elsa's eye.

"Even though I find you very odd and your behavior gives me whiplash- I mean sometimes I think you hate me, and then other times... well, you make me feel like I'm the most important person in the world. I don't understand you, though I promised myself I would figure you out some day, and I know quite literally nothing about you but-," Anna seemed to notice she was rambling and bit her lip, "I don't want your blood staining the grass. Is it so hard to believe that I don't want you dead?"

A mix of guilt and elation flooded Elsa's lungs and all she wanted to do was embrace Anna and tell her how sorry she was for everything. She even thought about it for a moment, and reached out a hand to touch her before she awkwardly retreated. She didn't miss the look of disappointment that flitted across Anna's face.

_My gods, either pull her close her push her away for good. You can't keep her floating in limbo forever_, Elsa thought, slightly shaking her head.

"Screw it," she muttered under her breath. Whether it was her good mood and newfound confidence, or her restraint finally caving, Elsa surged forward all the same, and gently wrapped her strong arms around the princess. For a brief moment, she thought she made a mistake when Anna did not immediately return it. Was she too cold? Did she misread the situation? Maybe Anna didn't want her this way.

Elsa tried to step back, fear slowly inching its way back into her brain, but then Anna snaked her arms around her waist tightly, holding her in place. Anna's warm hands gripped at the back of Elsa's clothes pulling her impossibly closer as she buried her face into her shoulder.

With most people, this would have alarmed Elsa, being held so tightly that she could hardly breathe, let alone escape. But for some reason unbeknownst to her, it only made her heart splutter. Besides, the warmth radiating off of the princess was intoxicating.

"You're really warm." The admission slipped through the blonde's lips and she stiffened, realizing what she just said. She made a mental note to bash her head into a wall the minute she was alone.

Elsa felt Anna's laugh reverberate through her chest. The smaller girl loosened her hold and looked up at Elsa, "My father says its a perk of having red hair. He told me red heads are always fierce and fiery and that's what keeps us warm, even through the harshest winters. I know its stupid but-"

"I think your father is right," Elsa said, cutting her off before the princess could go off on another tangent, "You are definitely not the meek and obedient type from what I have witnessed."

Anna's face fell, taking the statement as a negative, "I'm sorry, I can't help it. I know this behavior makes for a poor wife. The gods know I've tried to change."

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Elsa reassured her. She shot Anna a lopsided grin.

Anna leaned up and brushed her soft lips against Elsa's cold cheek. She shivered at the touch.

"W-what was that for?" Elsa asked bring a hand up to touch her burning cheek.

"For being kind to me," Anna smiled up at her, "Consider it my mark of gratitude. They say its good luck to have the favor of the hosting royal family during the tournament."

Elsa did not know what to say so she countered with her wit, "So was that kiss a favor from your father and mother as well?"

Anna snorted quite unlady like, "You ruined the moment."

"I'm told it's one of my gifts."

Anna's face screwed up in annoyance, though she could not hide her amusement.

"Princess Anna?" a voice called out from beyond the tent. Hurried footsteps sounded outside and suddenly a man burst through calling out Anna's name a second time.

"Anna?" the man called again, entering the tent. It was Vincent. "Oh, uh, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." He stuttered.

Elsa quickly stepped out of the embrace and fixed her clothing, ashamed to have been caught in such an intimate position with the princess when they were alone.

Anna opened her mouth to speak, "Actually-"

"Of course not," Elsa replied abruptly, hands resting on her belted currias, "The princess was just wishing me luck on my upcoming fight."

He swallowed thickly, glancing between the two of them and then continued, "I see. Well, the king and queen sent me to find their daughter. They do not want her roaming the encampment and wish for her to be present for the remainder of-"

The horn sounded at that moment, signalling the end of one match and calling the next set of fighters to take their marks.

"I will let the two of you get to it, then," Elsa cleared her throat, "If you'll excuse me." She bowed her head to the both of them, her gaze hovering on Anna for a moment. The princess looked like she wanted to say something. Maybe blurt out another 'be careful' or a 'good luck', but the words died in her throat. Anna's face conveyed a mix of fear, dread, and worry. Elsa gave her one last reassuring smile before taking her leave.

She clenched her hands into fists and brushed aside the tent flaps, the roar of thousands of shouting voices piercing her ears like a million shards of glass. Elsa steeled herself, her face placid and unwavering as she walked towards the arena.

The air was cool and crisp, an aftertaste of last night's flash snowstorm of which Elsa was to blame, though no one knew but her and Clara.

As she came upon the ring, she witnessed a sole victor had his sword raised high, cheering on the crowd as blood dripped from his dented armor. The loser was sprawled upon the ground, his head a few feet from where his body lay, blood pooling from, well, where his head should be. A few unfortunate men were tasked with dragging the pieces off the field.

Elsa averted her eyes, and searched the crowd instead. High in the stands, the royal family of Arendelle was seated. The king was shaking his head, the queen was covering her eyes with an elegant hand.

From across the ring Elsa spotted Hans. He was smirking at her, his pride bigger than he was, and he wore a hefty suit of pale white armor that gleamed like it had never been used. _Either he is a very good fighter, in which case I have thoroughly misjudged him, or he has never fought a day in his life and this will be all too easy_, Elsa thought.

"Fighters, please enter the ring!"

They both stepped forward. Hans drew his blade, a large double edged broadsword wrapped in white leather bindings. Elsa unsheathed her own sword, a smaller, lighter weapon she borrowed from Arendelle's armory. She felt the use of her own would be unsuitable outside the realm of actual battle.

"Let the fight commence!"

They eyed each other, circling the ring like two predatory wolves, teeth bared and swords poised. Hans shot her an invitational smirk, trying to goad Elsa into attacking first. Elsa drew in a deep breath and then unburdened herself with it, closing her eyes and focusing. She cleared her mind of all but a single thought: Winning.

Then she lunged.

"Anna, where have you been?" Agnarr asked impatiently, motioning for her to take a seat at his side. "Please tell me you were not in the encampment among the masses of bloody knights, deadly weapons, and dying men. And don't lie to me."

"Papa, I can either lie and say I wasn't there or tell you the truth, but I can't do both," Anna explained distractedly. Her attention was on the field where she watched Elsa take the offensive. She took her place next to her father and pulled Vincent into the chair next to her. Agnarr pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly, but decided to let it go. He muttered a thank you to Vincent as he was ushered along by Anna.

_Come on Elsa_, Anna silently pleaded.

Elsa was quick. She was clothed in the barest of armor and chose not to wear a helmet, something Anna was only just realizing. The lack of armor allowed her to run circles around Hans.

Her movements were fluid and fast and she was driving Hans infinitely backwards as he struggled to parry. A few times Elsa got through his defenses and her blade sliced across his breastplate, marring the white steel with deep gyrating gashes. She danced around him, twirling and striking with hard blows that kept Hans teetering on the edge of his balance. The crowd roared.

Minutes passed before Hans finally got a sense of her rhythm. He corrected himself and found his footing.

With a growl, he brought his sword down just as she did. Their steel clashed and sparks flew.

Both struggled against the other.

It was now a battle of brute strength.

Elsa strained every nerve, the muscles in her arms shaking with the effort to keep Hans from driving both blades into her chest. There was a wild, bloodthirsty glint in his eye as he pushed Elsa's own sword back towards her with an ever growing pressure. Elsa moved one of her hands to the top of her blade, the metal digging into her gloves and piercing skin.

She gritted her teeth in pain.

Hans forced her to her knees. He grinned wickedly, towering over her.

"I thought this was going to be a challenge." he taunted as he burrowed the sword into Elsa's shoulder.

She choked out a cry of agony as blood poured from the wound and stained her leather plackart.

Anna wanted to tear her eyes from the scene, but she was frozen, locked onto the sight of Elsa struggling to save herself.

"Papa," she whispered desperately, "Call off the fight."

Agnarr sighed, sparing his daughter a glance, "I cannot interfere."

"Papa, he's killing her!" Anna hissed. She watched the blonde and her heart clenched in agony as her pulse quickened.

Vincent's hand found hers and gave it a light squeeze, "Anna, Elsa will be fine. She would yield before things got too dire. I'm sure she values her life more than her pride."

"Quite right, Vincent," Agnarr agreed with a nod, "Have a little faith in Elsa, besides. She is an excellent fighter. Have you ever seen her in combat before?"

"W-Well, no, but-"

"Then do not give up your faith in her yet," Agnarr said, resting a hand on her shoulder, "She is just getting started, trust me, otherwise I would not have bet on her."

"You _what_?" Iduna asked, an eyebrow raised, finally taking her attention off the fight.

Agnarr choked on his reply, "I- um- I… was just trying to comfort our daughter." Iduna gave his a scrutinizing glare before she started to chew him out.

Anna stopped listening. The fact that her father had bet on Elsa relieved her anxiety, if only fractionally. It was enough to calm her to the point where she no longer planned on running down to the field and throwing herself between them.

She squeezed Vincent's hand and let out a shaky breath.

_Elsa is going to be okay_. She tried to convince herself, but her worry would haunt her until the fight was over.

She squeezed Vincent's hand harder.

How long could she keep Hans at bay? Every tense moment was draining her, both literally and figuratively. The cold metal of the sword that settled into the flesh of her shoulder was producing an unbearable sharp pain, and she felt herself weakening with every gush of blood that rushed from the wound and down her body.

"Is that really all you've got?" Hans asked, almost laughing. His tone enraged her. She couldn't let it end this way. She _wouldn't._ Elsa refused to give him the satisfaction.

"No," Elsa said through clenched teeth, "It's not."

Elsa mustered the last of her dwindling strength and shoved at Hans. He barely stumbled, but it was enough for her to roll away and regain her composure.

Now filled with fury, Hans attacked. The blonde barely had time to raise her sword before he began his assault.

Anna gripped Vincent's hand until his fingers turned blue and he let out a strangled grunt. Anna sat forward in her seat, face stretched into eternal panic.

Hans was driving her backwards with every angry blow. The clash of steel on steel grated against the crowd's ears.

Each strike shook the blonde's arms and tore chunks out of her borrowed sword. Hans raised his own high above his head for a final blow, a menacing glint in his eye.

Elsa's blade shattered at the contact of the next blow, torn in half by the sheer force of the man standing before her.

Defenseless, Elsa dropped to the ground and swiped Hans legs out from under him and rolled away, putting as much distance between herself and Hans as possible. While he recovered, she looked down at the hilt she held in her hands. It was practically useless now.

She threw it into the dirt.

"Looks like you're out of options Elsa," Hans snarled, shaking the debris from his arms. His breath was ragged and he was sweating, despite the cold. Exhaustion was clearly ready to claim him, but first he would have blood.

Elsa _was_ practically out of options. _Think, Elsa, think._ Suddenly, an idea wormed its way into the forefront of her mind. It was a dumb one, but it was all she had.

Elsa risked a glance at Anna. The princess was watching her with unguarded alarm.

"Fuck it," she breathed.

With no weapon and a rather horrible idea in mind, Elsa ran full speed at her enemy, each damning step bringing her closer to death as the wind whipped at her face.

Hans readied his sword, a malicious smile gracing his face.

The crowd dared not to breathe.

Just as she reached him, he slashed at her head, the strong metal slicing through the air, hell-bent on burying itself into her flesh.

Elsa dove for all she was worth. She slid between his legs feet first and grabbed ahold of his ankle, pulling his feet out from under him.

He fell.

His head ricocheted off the hard ground. The sword clattered against the dirt out of reach, but that hardly mattered because Hans lay unmoving, save for a faint rise and fall of his chest. _All that armor, yet he failed to don a helmet_, Elsa thought critically. _His mistake_.

In a matter of moments, the tables had turned.

The fight was over.

The adrenaline finally decided to jump ship and Elsa's knees buckled underneath her. Her shoulder surprisingly did not ache too much, but the intense blood loss was dulling her senses.

When the crowd's cheers finally rumbled to life at a deafening pitch, Elsa could scarcely hear them. Regardless, she raised her good arm and waved at them, encouraging their cheers and trying to hide the fact that she was about to pass out. She refused to look weak in front of so many people. She refused to look weak in front of Anna.

"Elsa!" Kristoff shouted, a triumphant smile plastered on his face as he jogged over to her. Elsa managed to smile back at him, exhausted as she was. She forced one leg in front of the other, her shaky gait slowly carrying her to her brother.

Kristoff's smile was wiped clean off his face as his skin paled and his eyes widened in silent horror. He pointed at her, or was it behind her?

"Elsa!" he shouted again, though this time his voice was strangled by fear.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd as Elsa tossed a glance behind her shoulder only to be tackled to the ground.

The impact knocked the breath out of her and she gasped for air even as the hands of death tightened around her neck.

Hans glared down at her murderously, the wicked satisfaction of wanting to kill her was replaced with a look of desperation, like he _needed_ to kill her. Blood seeped from the wound on his head and ran down the left side of his face, the liquid blinding him in that eye. It only served to make him look even more deranged.

"Show me," he cried out, delirious. His face contorted in distress, "Show me!"

Elsa's face once pale, was now bleeding into red as her windpipe was crushed by his large hands. A vein in her temple throbbed dangerously and threatened to burst through her skin.

Elsa grappled at Hans' armor, trying to find purchase somewhere and throw him off her, but he only throttled her harder.

"You _will_ show me!"

Elsa tried to think, but she could feel the life leaving her body with every second she was deprived of oxygen. She could not even process what he was saying.

Her mind was shutting down.

Her limbs flopped and lost their coordination.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

Panic flooded her system as a tidal wave of realization washed over her. He would choke the life from her before anyone reached them in time. She was going to die if she didn't do something.

With the very last ounce of strength that was hidden in the deepest corner of her body, Elsa summoned her power. Her eyes shot open and she thrust a single hand into Hans' chest, willing the vigor of her ice to send him flying.

And so he did.

It was subtle enough, as she only summoned a single icicle that immediately retreated after the blow was dealt. The only indication that something was off was the sizable dent that now blemished Hans' breastplate, but no one was going to notice. They were too busy rushing to Elsa's aid and subduing Hans.

Elsa rolled to her side and onto her hands and knees. She heaved and coughed as air entered her battered windpipe and blessed her deprived lungs with oxygen. Her eyes watered from the effort. She wheezed with every shaky breath.

Kristoff and Anna along with an array of medics were at her side seconds later, trying to talk to her but all she heard was the ringing in her ears.

Through the gaps of the mass of people surrounding her, she searched for Hans. Across the field he was being restrained by a couple of Arendelle knights, but he didn't appear phased. He was staring at Elsa with a mix of awe and satisfaction. He smiled.

She tore her eyes away and clutched at her head, suddenly not feeling so well.

The last thought that passed through her mind before passing out cold: _He knows._


	6. The Truth Dies Twice

Chapter 5: The Truth Dies Twice

Running.

Running.

Running.

Elsa's small leaden feet carried her to the cries of anguish resounding through the vacant halls. Where was the staff? The guards? Her brother? Her parents?

"Mama! Papa!" She called out for them, briefly searching each dark room before moving onto the next. Another cry rang out through the hall, echoing off the stone walls. Elsa's heart throbbed inside her chest with thick grief and fear slid down her spine as she ran towards the source.

As she came upon her father's study, she saw a figure lying on the floor.

"Kristoff," she whimpered. His small body was limp upon the ground, his arm twisted at too awkward an angle for it to not be broken. Blood wept from a wound on his temple and stained his blonde hair.

Elsa ran to her brother and fell to her knees beside him, in full view of the study.

"Ah, the fabled daughter finally appears," A deep, rich voice blared behind her and Elsa jumped, falling back on her hands as her eyes searched the dark for the speaker.

"You leave her alone! Elsa, darling, take your brother and-" the Queen's terrified words were muffled as a band of cloth was stuffed into her mouth.

A shadow emerged from the dark and stepped into the light of the moon streaming in from the tall windows. Elsa's face lit up in horror as she laid eyes upon the man.

His face… his face was marred by a cavernous mass of scars running along the right side from his nose to his jaw. It was red and blotchy and took away from the beauty of his jaded green eyes and chiseled jaw. In a previous life, he would have had the likeness of a god, but now he had more in common with that of a monster. Elsa stared wide eyed at the beast of a man now towering over her.

"Little one, where are your manners? Didn't your parents teach you that it's rude to stare?" He knelt down before her, his pale white armor creaking as he did so. Elsa looked away, not out of shame but of terror. She turned her attention to her parents instead.

They were both gagged now, their hair tousled and night clothes ruffled. Their hands were bound behind their backs and her father's nose was crooked and bleeding profusely, the hot liquid running down into his beard. Elsa's father tried to speak, but his words came out as muffled groans. Young Elsa's eyes watered and she pawed at her tears with her dainty hands. She ran to her parents, stumbling over her short legs.

The men made a move to stop her but the scarred man held up a hand. He watched as she fell into her mother's lap, sobbing into her shoulder. Her mother tried to soothe her the best she could while bound and gagged. It felt like only a moment before chaos erupted once more.

"Alright, that's enough." The scarred man motioned for one of his men to remove Elsa from her parents and bring her to him. He did so with rough hands and the girl cried out as she was ripped from her mother's breast.

"Mama!" she screamed. The scarred man took her by the shoulders, his large hands squeezing her uncomfortably.

"Listen to me, young one, if you wish for no harm to come to your parents, then you will stop this nonsense."

Elsa observed him, her lower lip quivering. More tears threatened to spill over but she took a calming breath and wiped the snot from her nose with the back of her sleeve. The side of the man's mouth quirked up and he gave her a soft pat.

"Good," he said. He then turned to the half dozen men he brought with him, "Bind her to me."

A figure wearing a flawless white cloak laced in red made their way over to the pair of them, "Are you sure? You don't yet know if she is the one. And she is just a chi-"

"Do not question me woman! Have you forgotten the leverage I still hold over your head?" The scarred man did not even spare the woman a glance as she knelt down next to him and Elsa, silent and obedient. He ripped off his glove and gauntlet, grabbing Elsa's bare hand with his own.

"If she is the one, then I will not be able to complete the Spell of Bondage after she has come into her power. Changes driven by trauma are dramatic and dangerous, as you know."

"What- what are you talking about?" Elsa sniffled, glancing at her parents.

They were practically screaming now, their bodies thrashing about in an attempt to gain freedom.

The woman in white cleared her throat and clasped her palms around their joined hands. She started chanting, the ancient words spilling from her lips in a soft, monotonous whisper. A bright glow started to emanate from the mass of hands and snake up Elsa's and the scarred man's arms in winding patterns. Elsa shrieked as the marks started to etch into her skin, branding her with the fine lines of this ancient magic.

Elsa tugged, trying desperately to pull her arm out from the unyielding grasp of her captors.

"Let go! Let Go! It hurts!" Elsa's face screwed up in pain, tears freely streaming down her cheeks as the brand changed into a deep red burn that stained her skin. When the woman finally stopped her chanting, Elsa ripped her arm from them, falling down in the process. She scooted as far away from them as possible until her back hit the wall. She nursed her burning limb close to her body.

The scarred man stood, flexing the hand that now had an angry burn similar to that on his face etched into the skin of his arm, "Now for the moment of truth."

He walked over to Elsa's parents, drawing a knife from his belt, the sound of it alerting Elsa to his true intentions.

"You promised!" She yelled, panic welling up in her throat. She tried to step into his path, but one of his men intercepted her. The King and Queen squirmed and flailed trying to escape, knowing full well it was a dire act.

"I did no such thing."

Not missing a beat, he dragged the knife across the throat of the King, one of his men doing the same to the Queen. Their blood pooled together as the last ounce of life flopped out of them, their dead eyes staring at Elsa, silently begging her from beyond the grave to run.

Elsa saw red, and she screamed a guttural roar ripped from the back of her throat. The room froze over. Elsa's canines grew and sharpened to a point keen enough to draw blood. Claws sprouted from her hands and feet as her bones shattered and reformed within her. Fur sprouted across her body, white enough to blind anyone who dared look. Elsa's scream turned into a howl, a thick, jarring sound that triggered an arc of icicles to spike from the floor and impale most of the masked men that accompanied the scarred man.

A throaty laugh ushered Elsa into consciousness.

Elsa gasped and snapped awake, the jostle of her rude awakening causing a sharp pain to arc in her shoulder.

"Shit." She rasped, and then, remembering the dream, she quickly rolled up the sleeve of her shirt, praying to all the gods that it really was just a nightmare.

It wasn't.

The brand was there.

It still marked her skin like a disease. She checked every time she awoke, just to prove it was real. Elsa sighed, running a hand through her pale locks.

She looked around the room. It was so quiet, she could hear the beat of her own heart… and the not so subtle snores of her brother. Kristoff was sleeping on a chair to her right, drool oozing down his chin, his head tucked down, and his muscled arms folded across his chest. To her left, Anna also slept, the princess's head leaning back over the edge of the chair, blissfully unaware of her surroundings.

_What is she doing here?_ Elsa thought with a raised brow. She instantly folded the sleeve back over her tattoo. It's a good thing she was wearing a shirt. She did not want to explain to Anna where she got such an accursed mark. _The shirt must have been Kristoff's idea. Gods bless him._

"Mmm...Mmelsa," He said, yawning. He stretched, his joints popping out the pressure. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Elsa shrugged.

"Hans almost choked the life from you. I thought your eyes were going to burst out of your skull." Kristoff said. "I swear, next time I see him I'm going to-"

Elsa sent him a tired look.

"Sorry, but he almost killed you."

"I know, I was there," Elsa grumbled. Her fingers went to her tender throat, feeling along what she guessed was now a mass of black and blue.

"How-," she croaked. Elsa grimaced. Her voice sounded like gravel. She cleared her throat, "How long have I been out? And what," Elsa gestured to Anna with her good arm, "is she doing here?"

Kristoff winked at her and inched closer to the bed, "The princess can't seem to get enough of you. She insisted on being here. I tried to usher her out but _she would not leave_."

Elsa smiled to herself even as a blush crept up her neck. Kristoff nudged her side with his elbow and gave her a knowing look. She slapped his arm and tried to change the subject.

"So, where is Hans?" She asked, mood suddenly souring. Elsa pulled the collar of her shirt away from her damaged shoulder, checking on the bandages that were surprisingly not soaked in blood.

_Wait_. How long had she been out? Did they stitch her up? _Oh gods, did they see my mark?_

Elsa frantically began to pull at the bandages, wincing with every tug.

"Whoa, what the hell are you doing?" Kristoff hissed, trying not to wake the princess. He snatched at her hands, stopping her from further mutilation. Elsa grunted in frustration and stopped her antics.

"Who stitched me up? Did they see my mark? How long have I slept? And where is Hans? _Please_ tell me no one saw my mark."

Kristoff put up his hands, gesturing for her to calm down, "Okay, first,_ I_ stitched you up and gave you a new shirt and it took a long time might I add, so stop picking at it! Secondly, you've been out for about eight hours. Thirdly-"

"What?!" Elsa yelped, her throat burning with the effort. Elsa's hand went to her mouth but it was too late. Anna jumped awake at the loud shout.

"Elsa, are you okay? What happened?" She asked, fumbling out of her chair and running over to the bed in a disheveled manner. Kristoff couldn't contain his laugh and decided to answer for her.

"My sister believes sleeping longer than four hours is going to somehow bring ruin to the world," he said, ignoring Elsa's murderous stare, "Oh, and she also thinks pulling out her stitches is a good idea."

Anna gaped at Elsa while Elsa gaped at Kristoff.

"Uh, no, that's not-" Elsa began, trying to save face.

"You _what_? _Elsa_," Anna scolded, carefully prying back Elsa's shirt collar and checking her bandages. The warm tips of her fingers brushed against the blonde's collarbone and her skin prickled at the touch. Elsa fidgeted away from her as politely as possible before she could become any more flustered.

"I'm fine, really. Kristoff was _lying,_ as usual," she said, glancing at him with as much annoyance as she could muster.

"Me, lying, in front of the Princess of Arendelle? I would never." Kristoff feigned hurt and clutched at his chest. Anna laughed. Elsa rolled her eyes and scooted off the bed as best she could with her left arm in a brace and a sore body that screamed with every movement.

"Uh, where do you think you're going?" Kristoff asked, crossing his arms.

"Out. I'm not going to stay in bed all day," Elsa grumbled, walking over to her wardrobe. Her legs wobbled.

"Well, technically, you've already done that," Anna commented. Shocked at the princess's remark Elsa and Kristoff turned their heads to her with bewildered expressions.

"What, the princess can't have a sense of humor?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. Her bold attitude made Elsa smile and Kristoff laughed.

"And here I thought Elsa was snappy. Looks like you've got some competition, sis." Kristoff said. Then his expression hardened. "But on a more serious note, you are _not_ going to the banquet tonight. As your King, I forbid it. You need to rest." His voice was stern, just like their father's was when he was concerned.

Elsa let out a breath, "Fine."

"Promise?"

"Sure." she said. It was only a half-lie. No, she would not attend the banquet, but gods forbid she spent the rest of the day in this room, locked up like a common criminal.

"I'm serious Elsa, if I see you anywhere near the banquet tonight, I will chain you-"

"Okay, I get it. Now please stop threatening me in front of the princess." Elsa, embarrassed, glanced at Anna who was smiling at their bickering. Kristoff opened his mouth to respond but Anna began ushering him out of the room and cut him off.

"Maybe I can see you later?" The princess asked. Elsa kept her cool and said, "Of course, as long as my brother doesn't find me."

"Hey-," Kristoff started, but Elsa closed the door on him.

She let out a deep breath.

It was time to confront Hans.

After spending far too long trying to dress herself with one good arm, she was finally on her way. With every step, her lungs jumped into her throat and the sound of her own beating heart thrummed loudly in her ears.

She knew he saw her on that field. And he knew she knew he knew. The look in his eyes while he was being subdued assured her of that. But he had been looking for it, waiting for it. He was probably waiting for her now. Elsa was determined to find out why.

As she approached the entrance to the stockade the two guards greeted her. "Princess Elsa," they said in unison, bowing in respect. Elsa held up a hand, "Please, do not bother yourselves with such formalities. I'm here to see Prince Hans."

"Of course. Right this way."

They escorted her down the damp stone hall past rows and rows of empty cells. Arendelle did not make many enemies. At the end of the hall, she spotted him. Hans. Well, it must have been him since no one else was locked up, but he was a far cry from the man she had seen only hours ago.

His back was against the wall, his face ashen. Dried blood plastered one side of his face and crusted one eye shut. His hair was damp and matted to his forehead. Sweat drenched the armpits and neckline of his prison clothes. The stench of blood, sweat, and sickness wafting from Hans choked the room of fresh air.

"I've been waiting for you, Elsa." he said. His voice was weak and shallow, but he smiled all the same. One of the guards spit at him and muttered something incoherent.

"Hey boys, how about you give us the room?" Hans asked, unfazed. "Four's a crowd." His eyes landed on Elsa as he chuckled. She watched him quietly with calculating eyes.

One of the guards laughed. "You think you can make demands of me? Of _us_? You little sh-"

"Do as he says." Elsa's regal demand cut him off. The guards stared at her dumbfounded. A moment passed.

Elsa cleared her throat, "I wish to speak to the prisoner alone."

The guards were hesitant, but they took their leave, telling her to yell if she needed them. Hans waved them goodbye.

"Finally," he sighed. "We are alone at last. How about you take a seat? Make yourself comfortable."

Elsa tried to cross her arms- briefly forgetting that one was in a sling- to no avail. Her arm fell back to her side. She felt exposed standing before him, but her regal manner never left her.

"This isn't a house call, Hans. You know why I'm here."

"All business them, hmm? That's no fun," he pouted.

Elsa ignored his jibe. "Why did you challenge me?"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to. It's a waste of your breath."

"So, it was to confirm your suspicions of my…" Elsa's voice drifted off as she glanced off in the direction the guards went.

"Magic. Gods, you can't even say the word," he laughed, throwing his head back. It brought on a coughing fit. A barking sound erupted from his course throat. He hacked up phlegm into his sleeve. Elsa watched him with distaste and a hint of pity.

"It's not a dirty word you know," Hans finished. Elsa rolled her eyes.

"Are you dull? Look around you. I would be…" Her voice faded. She shot another glance at the entrance. Then in a whisper, "I would be burned at the stake for even discussing this with you."

"Not where I'm from."

"The southern Isles? Really? Just last year-"

Hans held up a hand. "No. I was born there, but I do not call that wretched place my home." He looked off bitterly into the distance and let out a wheezy breath. "Namsos. That is a place where magic is celebrated. Where people like you are revered as gods."

Elsa considered him, "Wow. That sounds really… _impossible."_

Hans turned bitter and snarled at her like a wild animal. "I'm not going to beg you to believe me. If you don't want to listen then-" Another coughing fit attacked. He heaved with each blow and at the climax, he retched over the stone floor. Elsa grimaced at the sight. He backed away from the vomit, his body shaking with the onset of shivers. He was weak and growing weaker every moment, but Elsa still needed to ask him the most important question.

She walked up to the cell and crouched before him, her good hand gripping the cold, rusted metal.

Then, in a solemn whisper, "How did you happen upon the knowledge of my magic? Someone must have told you, which means someone else knows. Who is it?"

"Again, you ask a question when the answer resides in your own mind. Hopeless, you are."

Elsa shook her head and scowled at him.

This was useless. This whole endeavor was useless.

Whether it was the fever that had taken the man to new heights of delirium or his relentless stubborn attitude, he was speaking in tongues. _This is a battle for another day._

She sighed, "I will send for a doctor with some food. Your wound must be infected."

Hans raised an eyebrow at her. "Willing to help someone you hate? Now that is god-like." He smiled and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the brick of his cell.

"I don't hate you Hans. I don't even know you," Elsa muttered as she walked away.

"Oh, but you will. A war is coming Elsa. Believe me or don't, a war will come all the same."


End file.
